Basic Kacapi Keyings for Kawih Accompaniment

(Pola Dasar Kacapi Pamirig Kawih)
by: Dian Tresna Nugraha,
Munich, 23.08.2003

1Terms

  • Kawih = Sundanese term for ‘song’

  • Kacapi siter is used for our purpose. It has 20 strings.

  • farthest- and longest string (lowest frequency) is tuned to 3

  • nearest- and shortest string (highest frequency) is tuned to 4. (see 'Tuning')

  • Suling Sunda is a 60 cm and 6 holed bamboo flute.

  • Pangkat is ‘the opening’ or start of kawih. It is selected based on the goong key (number in circle).

  • Panutup is ‘the ending’. (or ‘suwuk’ in Javanese)

    Pancer is intermediate tone between two keys, e.g. between goong key and kenong key.

Figure 1: 60 cm with 6 hole Sundanese Suling

2Tuning and Notation

Kacapi uses degung notation. It is a subset of pelog 7 tone system (see Table 1).

Table 1: Sundanese Degung versus Javanese Pelog 7 Notation

Sundanese Degung

Javanese Pelog 7

1 (da)

6

2 (mi)

5

3 (na)

3

4 (ti)

2

5 (la)

1


Note range, from lowest frequency to highest frequency is:

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Kacapi is tuned to match the 60 cm length suling tones. With this length, approximation for the tuning compared to western scale is:

Figure 2 shows positions of each kacapi's string and its note number.

Figure 2: Tuning of Kacapi's Strings

3Key Positions

Legend:

3.1Position for key 5 (la)

Click to hear: kacapi5.mp3

Figure 3: Position for key 5 (la)


Pangkat for key-5 is: 32 1 5 5 g5

I and II are repeatable parts. 2nd pancer is not yet unknown due to unknown kenong key.

The sample music plays pangkat continued directly with I and then after slight silent, II is played.

3.2Position for key 4 (ti)

Click to hear: kacapi4.mp3

Figure 4: Position for key 4 (ti)

Pangkat for key-4 is .31 2 4 4 g4

Dashed circles are Position for key-5.

Similar to key-5, I and II are repeatable parts.

3.3Position for key 3 (ti)

Click to hear: kacapi3.mp3

Figure 5: Position for key 3 (na)


Due to rarely be used as goong key, the key-3 might have no pangkat at all.

The pancer is 2.


3.4Position for key 2 (mi)

Click to hear: kacapi2.mp3

Figure 6: Position for key 2 (ti)


3.5Position for key 1 (da)

Click to hear: kacapi1.mp3

Figure 7: Position for key 1(da)

4Sekar Alit

Sekar Alit is a small accompaniment set for typical Sundanese songs (kawih). It contains several key sequences, and played repeatedly. It might have specific name, e.g. Catrik, Kulu-kulu, etc.


There are two types of Sekar Alit: two-keys and four-keys.


The two-keys:

Table 2: Sekar Alit accompaniments with two keys.

Name

Keys

Kawih Example(s)

Catrik

2 g5

Dareuda, Kalangkang

Kulu-kulu

5 g2

Angin Priangan, Satia

Lalayaran

3 g5



The four-keys:

Table 3: Sekar Alit accompaniments with four keys.

Name

Keys

Kawih Example(s)

Cirebonan

4 g5 1 g5

Jeruk Manis

Balenderan

4 g5 4 g2


n.n

1 g3 1 g4

Nimang

n.n

2 g4 2 g5

Cinta

n.n

3 g4 3 g1

Élékésékéng



4.1Example: 'Catrik' 2 g5

Figure 8: 'Catrik': 2 g5

Click to hear: kacapiCatrik25.mp3.


Catrik is the simplest form and the most widely used pattern when one starts learning degung.

The goong key is 5, thus we use pangkat for 5 and ending for 5 too. The kenong key is 2.


5-I and 5-II are part I and II of key 5. See: Position for key 5 (la)

2-I and 2-II are part I and II of key 2. See: Position for key 2 (mi)

5Pangkat Variations

Sometimes, we use different pangkat to give variations between different kawih.


For example:

Pangkat variations for key 5 (la): Variant 1, Variant 2 (click to hear)

Figure 9: Pangkat variations for key 5 (la)


Pangkat variations for key 2 (mi): Variant 1, Variant 2 (click to hear)

Figure 10: Pangkat variations for key 2(mi)


6Contact

Any questions and feedbacks can be addressed to: dian.nugraha@gmail.com


Have fun!



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